Mauna Loa

unknown,"Mauna Loa erupting picture." Hawaii Picture.2008. 30March 2009.

Mauna Loa is one of many oceanic shield volcanoes that make up the Hawaiian Islands. With an extreme height of 13,861 ft. makes it the tallest volcano in the world measuring from below sea level. On Mauna Loa there are many large craters that make up this spectacular mountain. Mauna Loa is a very long and wide mountain with a minor incline. Its covers more than half of the island, Hawaii, and is still forming the island with its other sister volcanoes.

Compared to their more violent companions, Mauna Loa erupts slowly and quietly. Mauna Loa has a low viscosity, meaning that it is non-explosive. The mountain slowly inclines which is why it takes some time for the white-hot lava to move down its side. Mauna Loa has basaltic lava. Some hazards of the eruptions can cause that of destroyed or blocked roads and highways, but Mauna Loa is perhaps the safest active volcano on earth because it is extremely predictable and is non-explosive. Out of the last 39 eruptions, the most recent eruption was the one that occurred in 1984. The most famous eruption is a spectacular one is 1950. It lasted two weeks and covered more than 30 square miles of the island with lava. Fountains of molten rock shot several hundreds of feet into the air. The release of lava caused considerable property damage and flowed across the coast highway.

unknown,"Mauna Loa erupting picture." Hawaii Pictures.2008.30 Mar 2009.

Mauna Loa is located is the U.S.A. The nearby cities are Big Island, Hilo, Kilauea and Loihi all in Hawaii. Mauna Loa is located in the interiors of the Pacfic Plate. The result of its volcanic activity is because it is above a hot spot in the mantle. The neighboring volcanos of Mauna Loa are the volcanos Kea, Kilauea and Hualalai.

On the Island Hawaii soils at low elevations,when the rainfall is relatively low, the solar insolation is high. Co2 in the atmoshpere after eruptions is high which effects animals, plants and ecosystems.

unknown,"Mauna Loa erupting picture." Hawaii Pictures.2008. 30 March 2009.

Mauna Loa has a very unpredictable lava flow